


Respite

by ZsforSs



Category: Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: But there are makeouts, Cuddling, Eli in Chissland, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, IDK if they're 'sloppy', It is not all fun and games in Chissland, Look we all wanted this, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Protective Thrawn, Sloppy Makeouts, Thrawn: Alliance spoilers, WELL I DID, from Thrawn: Alliance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 11:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16891734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZsforSs/pseuds/ZsforSs
Summary: “How is he?” Thrawn asked, unable to resist.  It was possible, after all, that Eli was here on this very ship.The door behind him chimed as someone requested entry.Ar'alani smirked, “Why don't you ask him yourself?”





	Respite

**Author's Note:**

> This is incredibly self indulgent fic about Eli and Thrawn cuddling at the end of Thrawn: Alliance.

He of course went over to the Chiss ship to facilitate the children's return. Lord Vader didn't even protest him making the trip alone. He didn't do much facilitating really, as Admiral Ar'alani pulled him into a ready room off the hangar to debrief almost immediately. He passed the relevant information on to her, including his suspicions of Chiss involvement in the kidnappings.

The Admiral had seemed perturbed by that analysis- but not surprised. So she was aware of the political unrest, but this had likely been the first overt salvo by the disgruntled factions.

Then Admiral Ar'alani gave him a brief overview of where and how some of his family and associates were.  One name was conspicuously absent. And judging by the subtle twist of the Admiral's lips she was deliberately omitting information on Eli.

Should he ask? He _wanted_ to, but while Vader hadn't seemed to be able to pull actual memories or concrete information from his mind he also had no desire to risk the Sith Lord sensing anything about Eli.

Eli's departure- and destination-were, after all, perhaps the truest indication of where his loyalties lay.

Admiral Ar'alani finished her list by mentioning Thrawn's former personal sky-walker had started a movement pushing for sky-walkers who aged out to be allowed to remain in military service if they wished- instead of forcing them into closely monitored 'civilian' life and encouraging them to marry and produce more, hopefully Force-sensitive, children.

Thrawn was actually pleased by that development. He'd always felt 'retiring' sky-walkers was a wasteful practice. Stasi was an intelligent and charismatic woman, no doubt she'd grow the movement significantly.

“How is he?” Thrawn asked, unable to resist. It was possible, after all, that Eli was _here_ on this very ship.

The door behind him chimed as someone requested entry.

Ar'alani smirked, “Why don't you ask him yourself?”

* * *

Admiral Ar'alani had left the room when she let Eli in. Thrawn had barely noticed.

Eli's hair was shorter- he must have trimmed it recently. His rank insignia marked him as a Commander already. _Good._ The uniform suited him, Thrawn thought. Though if he was honest Eli could have been wearing a burlap sack and Thrawn would think it looked good.

Eli was clearly looking him over as well- but then their eyes met.

Eli swore quietly – in Cheunh- and then threw himself at Thrawn before he could ask Eli who was teaching him curse words.

Thrawn staggered back a step when Eli hit him. There was a low bench around the walls of the room- Thrawn didn't quite make it there, going down onto the floor with the seat at his back. Eli didn't seem to care, crawling into Thrawn's lap and making himself at home there.

Eli's arms were draped over Thrawn's shoulders, and he was pressing quick frantic kisses to Thrawn's open mouth.

Thrawn drew his knees up and wrapped an arm around Eli's waist to keep him close. He buried his other hand in Eli's hair and used his grip to keep Eli still so he could deepen the kiss.

Eli moaned into his mouth and melted against Thrawn's chest.

Thrawn might have happily stayed that way until Vader himself intervened... Except Eli was thinner than he had been when Thrawn sent him away, and he was holding his left arm oddly, as if it pained him.

Thrawn broke the kiss- “Are you alright?” he asked. He attempted to give Eli a more thorough look over but Eli pressed closer, resting his forehead against Thrawn's before he could.

“I'm fine.” Eli said, he was grinning. “Worrywart.”

“You've lost weight.” Thrawn pointed out.

Eli laughed. “Funny story that.”

“Do tell.”

“So it turns out that one of the previously unrealized differences between Chiss and humans is that we absorb nutrients in different ways. When I first got here I dropped nearly 20 pounds almost immediately. I was _eating_ , it just wasn't doing what it should. The meals weren't optimized for me. Finally the Admiral shoved me at a doctor and told him to figure it out before I dropped. We've been messing around with my caloric intake and supplements ever since. We think we've got it figured out though- I've been putting on weight recently actually.”

“Good.” Thrawn moved on to his next concern, “What happened to your arm?”

Eli didn't answer immediately. “It's just a bruise,” he said at last.

“From?”

“You should see the other guy.”

“You got in a fight?” Thrawn asked.

“I had an impromptu sparing match with a colleague in the gym a few days ago,” Eli said calmly. “We were perhaps over enthusiastic and both suffered minor injuries- although mine were more minor than his.”

“When is he getting out of medical?” Thrawn asked.

“Tomorrow probably,” Eli said. “Don't fret ok? After all that sparring with you it was no big deal.”

Thrawn tugged Eli closer. “I did not work with you on your hand-to-hand so much so that you could defend yourself against my own people.”

Eli kissed his cheek and laid his head on Thrawn's shoulder. “We knew there would be people unhappy with my presence- like there are people unhappy with yours.”

Yes. They had in fact discussed the matter at length, including a number of more subtle ways to deal with opposition. It had been his hope Eli would be able to avoid physical confrontations.

Eli ran his thumb across Thrawn's cheek. “Stop it,” he said.

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. “Stop what?”

“Fretting. You can't fix everything for me so stop trying to figure out how. It's not like you could take me back with you and just be like, 'Hey guys! Look who I found!'”

Thrawn chuckled. “No I couldn't, especially not now.”

Eli eyed him. “Why's that?”

“Darth Vader accompanied me on this mission- he's aboard the Chimaera as we speak.”

“Really?”

“The Emperor tasked us with discovering a disturbance in the Force.”

“The girls.”

“Yes I believe he also intended it as a test of some sort.”

“A test- oh! Of course, he thought it had something to do with the Chiss didn't he? He wanted to know who you'd side with...” Eli drew back slightly. “Should you even be here? I don't-”

Thrawn pulled Eli back down. “It is fine. I have performed adequately I believe.”

“But you shouldn't linger.” Eli sighed.

“No, I intend to be aboard less than an hour.”

“How much longer can you stay?”

“We have half an hour left.”

Eli nodded solemnly and kissed him again.

They wiled away another fifteen minutes in this manner.

Thrawn undid Eli's collar and sucked a dark mark into the base of his neck, Eli returned the favor.

But there was something else Thrawn needed to speak with Eli about. “I need to warn you,” Thrawn said.

“About what? No marks above the collar?” Eli teased. “I know that.”

“No-” Thrawn began.

“Or is it about the impending civil war you dropped me into?” Eli smirked.

“... You always did have a better grasp on politics than me.”

“Just a little bit,” Eli said. “Anything else I should know about?”

“I may have also set a hostile species on a course to start a war with the Ascendancy.” Thrawn admitted.

Eli groaned. “Are you sure I can't come back with you?”

“I am sorry, I believe you are still safer here,” Thrawn said. “At least here you will not be punished for your association with me.”

Something passed over Eli's face for a split second, but before Thrawn could ask what was troubling him Eli leaned back in and kissed him again.

“I love you,” Eli murmured against his neck. “Be careful alright? I expect you to come back to me on a more permanent basis.”

“Of course,” Thrawn said, he pressed his face into Eli's hair and breathed in deeply.

They held each other for a long moment.

“You have to go,” Eli said.

“Yes.”

Eli stood and stepped away. Thrawn rose to his feet too. They both straightened their uniforms, and Thrawn helped Eli fix his hair.

“One more.” Eli said and leaned in to kiss Thrawn one last time.

“Alright, go go.” Eli pushed him away gently when they finished. “Or I'll have to hide you in my quarters. And I can't imagine Lord Vader would be happy with that.”

“No he would not.” Thrawn would have liked to linger, but he knew he couldn't. He was due back on the Chimaera. He resisted reaching out for Eli again, but he did take one last long look at his dearest friend.

Eli was tearing up, “Oh go on!” he waved a hand at Thrawn. “Quit hanging around. I'm sick of looking at you already.”

“Krayt spit.” Thrawn said softly.

Eli started laughing, and wiped at his eyes. “I have to go back to work after this!” he complained.

“Then I'll leave you be,” Thrawn said. “But I assure you I will see you again.”

“You'd _better._ ”

Thrawn left before he did anything else foolish. He _would_ see Eli again. For now he carefully stored away this last encounter to reexamine later. He had a Sith Lord to deal with.

 

 


End file.
